


Anyone With Eyes

by Styfas



Category: The Terror (TV 2018)
Genre: Dialogue Heavy, Gen, One Shot, Swearing, mentions of Lady Silence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-02
Updated: 2020-08-02
Packaged: 2021-03-05 23:27:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,786
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25623643
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Styfas/pseuds/Styfas
Summary: Dr. Goodsir needs a special phrase for his dictionary; something he'd like to say to Lady Silence.  He asks Captain Crozier for help.
Relationships: Harry D. S. Goodsir & Lady Silence | Silna
Comments: 4
Kudos: 21





	Anyone With Eyes

**Author's Note:**

> Once again, I thank [Drac](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Drac) for help and discussion about specifics while I was writing this - and also for a "useful phrase" (in English, lol).

If only Dr. McDonald were still here. He would have been the perfect person to ask, not only as someone knowledgeable in Inuktitut, but as a respected colleague. Someone who would understand, and not berate Harry for asking the question. Dr. McDonald might have even celebrated his asking. Mr. Blanky? Definitely not; Blanky would probably tease him mercilessly, and torment him further by not giving him the answer he seeks. It will have to be Captain Crozier.

There is to be a final command meeting in the Great Cabin of HMS Terror before everyone starts walking. Harry decides to arrive early and talk to the captain then; hopefully before Captain Fitzjames, the Lieutenants, Mr. Reid, and Mr. Blanky arrive. Especially Mr. Blanky.

He knocks on the cabin door. 

“Come!” the captain calls.

Harry slides the door open and walks quietly into the cabin. He sees Captain Crozier seated at the table consulting maps that are spread out across its surface. “Sorry to disturb you, Captain.”

Captain Crozier looks up and smiles. “Good morning, Dr. Goodsir.”

“I - I know I’m quite early, but… a word, if I may? A question, in fact. I thought now might be a good time to ask.”

“Certainly. Please, sit down.”

Harry accepts the invitation and chooses a chair next to the captain. He clears his throat and then goes silent. 

After several seconds’ pause, Crozier gently folds his hands on the table. “Dr. Goodsir, if I’m to answer a question for you, then you’ll need to ask it first.”

“Of course. Uh… Captain, when I was working on my dictionary with Lady Silence, I was gathering nouns, for the most part. Tools, clothing, the ice, external anatomy, and so on. I had also hoped to get some phrases… ”

The captain raises a hand in an encouraging gesture. “Go on.”

“I’d like to keep working on the dictionary, but Lady Silence… It’s no longer possible with her.”

Crozier nods.

“I did manage to get some phrases through conversing with her on Erebus: Good morning, Good afternoon, Thank you, I’m sorry, We’re going out; that sort of thing. Oh, and I’m still very sorry I failed you regarding getting information about the creature.“

“Don’t trouble yourself further about that. What can I help you with?”

“I don’t know if you’ve ever had the occasion to say this… but with your previous experience, and your knowledge of Inuktitut, I wonder if you‘ve ever heard the phrase…”

Crozier opens his hands. “The phrase…?”

“Would you happen to know how to say ‘I love you’ in Inuktitut?”

Crozier raises his eyebrows.

Harry shifts his weight to face the captain directly. “I feel it could be a useful phrase. For the dictionary. Someone might need to know how to say it.”

Crozier's cheeks lift, a trace of a smile appearing on his lips. “Someone.” 

“Yes.” 

“Ah. And might this phrase be particularly useful to _you_?”

Harry shakes his head. “I - I hadn’t considered…” His fingers tremble on his thighs. He quickly clasps his hands together. 

“Oh, I’d wager you’ve given it a great deal of consideration.“ 

“Captain, I –“

“Dr. Goodsir,” Crozier says gently, “anyone with eyes can see that you’re sweet on the girl.”

The conversation wasn’t supposed to happen like this at all; Harry’s plan was to simply ask the question, get a quick answer, and be done. But this is Captain Crozier he’s talking to; a man accustomed to considering all angles of an issue. Harry’s deep in it, now; he must continue. “I am… fond of her, yes, but – “

“There’s no need for pretence,” Crozier says. “You came to ask for my help, and I’ll be more than pleased to do so. You propose to tell her you love her, hmm?”

Harry finds Crozier’s fatherly demeanor encouraging. There will be no harm in confirming what the captain already knows. “Yes. I do. When I signed up with the Discovery Service, I would have never imagined something like this would happen. But it has.” He realizes he’s smiling harder than he has in weeks. ~~~~

“And what next?”

“My hope is that she’ll come back with me to England.”

“As your future wife?” 

“I confess I haven’t thought quite that far ahead yet. But I know that if she’ll come to England, I’ll do my best to make her happy.”

“You’re a brave man to even consider it. I hope you’ll be successful in this – but you should also realize that it could be asking too much of her. She may not want to leave her home and her people.”

“Yes, I’m aware. Still, I must try.”

Crozier nods and smiles. “First things first. You’ll need that phrase.”

“Please.” He keeps his eyes on Crozier in rapt expectation; his future with Lady Silence could depend on this. 

“One simple word: Nagligivagit.”

“Nagligivagit.” He sighs. “It’s a _beautiful_ word. Thank you, Sir. Oh – and now I’ll need to write it down.”

“For the dictionary.”

“Yes, and so that I’ll remember it, as well.” Harry pats his waistcoat and trousers with both hands, then slaps harder as he goes through the cycle again. He groans. “I was in such a hurry to get here, and so anxious to get this word, that I seem to have forgotten my dictionary.”

“You _are_ besotted with her.” 

“I do have a pencil,” Harry says, pulling it from a trouser pocket, “but no paper.” He bolts up out of his chair. “I’ll go to my cabin and get my dictionary. I’ll be quick.” He heads for the doorway.

“That won’t be necessary,” Crozier says. “Come, sit. I’ll tear you some paper from the ship’s log.” 

“With all due respect, Sir, you shouldn’t. That log belongs to the Discovery Service.”

“My name is on the front cover, so I’ll do as I please. It’s not like I’ll be needing it anymore after I write down my order to abandon ships.” 

“I understand.” Harry returns to the table and sits.

Crozier rises and goes to his desk. Harry winces when he hears the paper being torn. 

“Easily managed,” Crozier says upon his return. He holds up a small rectangle of torn paper. He hands it to Harry and sits down next to him.

“Thank you,” Harry says. “Nagligivagit? Am I saying it correctly?” He sees Crozier nod, so he quickly writes it in his own system of transliteration and stuffs the paper and pencil into a pocket.

Captain Crozier smiles, leans forward, and grasps Harry’s arms. “You have it right. Nagligivagit, Dr. Goodsir.”

A gruff voice comes from the entry to the Great Cabin. “Bloody Hell, Francis! If you’re going to tell the man you love him, at least call him Harry!”

Crozier looks to the doorway with a start and releases Harry's arms. “You’re early, Mr. Blanky.”

“Right on time, I’d say.”

Harry smooths down his shirt sleeves and springs up from his chair to face him. “Please, no. This is not what you think.”

Blanky grins, squares his shoulders, and leans back on his good leg. “And what am I thinking?”

“I - I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to presume what you think. But you do misunderstand what you see and hear. I don’t love the captain, and he doesn’t love me. We are not in love, Mr. Blanky.”

Blanky laughs, raucous and rough, waving his arm to shove Harry’s comment aside. “I knew that. Besides, anyone with eyes can see you’re in love with Lady Silence.”

Harry eyes the captain and then looks back at Blanky. “That’s what the captain said. Is it really that obvious?” 

“As obvious as this,” Blanky says, patting his fake lower leg.

“Oh. Well.”

“You’re going to tell her you love her, then?”

“I… perhaps. Yes.”

“When are you going to tell her?”

“I - I haven’t decided yet.”

“How about before we start walking this morning?”

“Definitely not. I don’t think it would be the right time.“

“Tomorrow, then? The next day?”

“As I said, I haven’t decided. I’ll need to find just the right time. Now, if you’ll - ”

“But you’ll let us know when you’re going to do it, right?”

Harry has had enough. He stiffens his spine and speaks firmly. “Mr. Blanky, I will not be selling tickets. Now, if you’ll both excuse me, I need to go and – “

“And tell her you love her? Now?” Blanky asks through a grin.

Crozier snickers.

Harry sighs loudly. “I need to go to my cabin, write the word in my dictionary, and fetch a different book to bring back to the meeting so I may take notes – if you really must know. The others will be arriving soon.” He heads for the doorway, considering whether he has the nerve to shoulder Blanky out of the way so he may exit. 

Blanky saves him the trouble by stepping aside. With a deep bow, he extends one arm in a grand gesture, indicating the doorway. 

“Thank you,” Harry says. He leaves quickly and slides the door closed behind him. He knows Blanky will undoubtedly have more to say, so he stands by the door to listen.

The captain speaks. “Not a word to anyone, Thomas. This matter is only between you, me, and Dr. Goodsir.”

“But wouldn’t it be fun to bring it up at the meeting?” A low laugh. “We could all use a bit of cheer before we start trudging.” 

“You will _not_. Your idea of fun is to embarrass him further - and I’ll not have it. I trust I make myself clear?”

“Aye. But honestly, I wonder if he’ll _ever_ decide to tell her.”

“He will.”

“If he doesn’t get flustered and then change his mind. Three times, four, five... ” 

“In good time, _he will tell her_. I know this. Thomas, he also intends to ask Lady Silence to come back to England with him.”

A low whistle from Blanky.

A few seconds of silence.

Blanky speaks again. “Well, if there’s anyone who can charm Lady Silence into going to England, it’s Dr. Goodsir. I hope all goes well for him.”

Harry can’t let Blanky’s words go unacknowledged. He slides the door open and smiles. “Very kind of you to say so, Mr. Blanky. Thank you.”

“You? Eavesdropping?”

Harry shrugs. “Isn’t is amazing what you can learn about a person that way? But then, you already know all about that.” After giving a smug smile, he immediately slides the door closed before Blanky can reply.

He heads off to his quarters, happily committing his beautiful new word to memory. He knows this is best done by saying it repeatedly, so he tests it out as he goes, varying speed, tone, and inflection, and always speaking softly enough that no one will hear him: “Nagligivavit… Nagligivavit… Nagligivavit…”


End file.
